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There are many kinds of flies, and it’s not uncommon to find them buzzing around your home, especially in warmer months when they are most active. But there are a lot of questions about flies and how to handle an infestation. Here are some of them answered.

Where Do Flies Come From?

Houseflies, which are the most common kind of pest fly, are known to reproduce quickly and in great numbers. They are also known to enter homes through open doors and windows or by riding on food items like produce.

Life Cycle

Flies start life as tiny eggs that resemble rice, laid by an adult female on garbage, food or feces. They then hatch into larvae, or maggots, which resemble tiny worms and are about ¼-⅜ inch long. Maggots feed in the area where they hatched until they finish the process of growing into pupae, when they develop wings, legs and hard outer shells and begin to look more like adults. From there, they grow into adult flies and begin the cycle all over again. The entire growing period of a fly often lasts about a week, and once a fly is fully-grown, it can easily access any home that doesn’t have preventative pest measures in place.

How Long Do Flies Live?

The length of a fly’s life depends on what kind it is. Houseflies usually live about 15-25 days as adults.

What Are the Signs of A Fly Infestation?

There are a couple of signs that could signal a fly infestation. The most obvious is seeing flies around the house in a greater number than usual or groups congregating in a certain area. Another sign is finding a nesting site where eggs have been laid or larvae are feeding. Finally, you may hear them buzzing around before you even see them.

Do Flies Bite?

Most flies do not bite. Flies eat by using their spongy mouthparts and saliva to dissolve food and suck it up. The main kind of fly that bites is the horsefly, a large insect that bites mammals and is known for attacking moving, dark-colored targets.

Are Flies Dangerous?

While most flies do not bite and therefore are not harmful to the surface skin, they can carry a lot of diseases. This is a result of them feeding on everything from garbage to fecal matter to rotting produce. In the various places where they find their food, they pick up numerous pathogens that they then carry around with them, such as salmonellosis, typhoid and tuberculosis. They contaminate food and eating surfaces when they land on them, so if you find that flies have landed en masse on a particular item of food, it’s probably best to throw that food away.